Uniqlo accepts all clothes for charity recycling initiative

Jose Mari Chan (R) and Oh Flamingo serenading the kids at the “Give What You Love: Celebrating the Gift of LifeWear” gift-giving event for the children of Bantay Bata and Virlanie Foundation on Dec. 5 at the Uniqlo store at Glorietta 5, Makati.

AS PEOPLE clean out their closets before the end of the year, Uniqlo Philippines is hoping more Filipinos will consider donating their old clothes as part of its All-Product Recycling Initiative.

Camille P. Pacis, senior marketing and PR manager of Uniqlo Philippines, said one common misconception is that only old Uniqlo clothes can be donated at Uniqlo stores in the Philippines.

“We invite the customers to donate their clothes. People ask if they can donate non-Uniqlo, of course we accept non-Uniqlo clothes. They can drop off their clothes for donation at any Uniqlo store,” Ms. Pacis said in an interview at the sidelines of the company’s “Give What You Love: Celebrating the Gift of LifeWear” gift-giving event for the children of Bantay Bata and Virlanie Foundation on Dec. 5 at the Uniqlo store in Glorietta 5, Makati.

Uniqlo works with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other non-government organizations to distribute the donated clothes to refugees, disaster victims, and other people in need around the world.

Clothing that is considered “unwearable” is recycled into refuse paper and plastic fuel pellets, according to the Uniqlo Japan Web site.

As part of its charitable efforts, Uniqlo Philippines gave a holiday shopping spree to 40 children from Bantay Bata and Virlanie Foundation.

“Uniqlo has always believed in the transformative power of clothing. More than just bringing comfort to our customers through our apparel, it is also our mission to share our LifeWear to members of our community who don’t often have access to our clothing and to our stores,” Geraldine Sia, Uniqlo Philippines co-chief operating officer, said during the event.

Jose Mari Chan and Oh, Flamingo! sang several songs to entertain the children, who were each given the chance to pick Uniqlo clothes worth P1,000.

This was the second year that Uniqlo Philippines worked with Bantay Bata, and the first time it invited Virlanie Foundation.